Process of degumming textile plants



Patented Feb. 2, 1932 PATENT OFFICE URBAIN JUIIJES LEON THUA'U, OFPARIS. FRANCE PROCESS OF DEGUMMING TEXTILE PLANTS No Drawing.Application filed June 6, 1930, Serial No. 459,615, and in France June15, 1929.

The object of the present invention is the degumming of textile plantsand vegetables based on the action of hydrocarbon sulfonic acids on thepectins and gummy matter which act as binders for the fibrous tissue ofthe plants.

The object of the treatment is to convert the textile plants into fibresready for spinning and vegetable matter into pulp suitable for papermanufacture. I This result is obtained by treating the raw material withsolutions of hydrocarbon sulfonic acids. For certain strengths ofsolutions, the action of the hydrocarbon sulfonic acids is distinctlypeptizing anddissolving, so that the pectins, gums and colloidalsubstances are partly dissolved, or loosened and dispersed, and thefibrous matter is liberated and ready to be subjected to the subsequentmechanical treatment necessary for their utilization in industry. I

The preparation of the fibrous material is accomplished in two separatestages and may be carried out in the hot or in the cold, de-

pending on whether a less rapid or more it is erformed in the hot or inthe cold.

2. eutralz'zatz'on.-When the peptizing action of the above bath of'sulfonic acid, with or without salt, is considered sufficient, aneutralizing operation is resorted to.

This operation, prior to which the fibres may be rinsed, is conductedeither in a soap bath, or in an alkaline bath, according to the sort offibre under treatment and containing caustic soda or carbonate of soda,or in a mixture of said soap and alkaline bath.

EXAMPLES OF TREATMENT The following examples describe the ap-. plicationof the process to the treatment of crude hemp fibre in pulped thongs.

Emample 1.UOZd process.The crude fibres are sufiiciently soaked tosoften them thoroughly and remove excess of chlorophyl, and are thenimmersed in a bath composed of equal parts of salt (chloride of sodium)and for example a naphthaline sulfonic acid,

the strength of the bath being made to 4 Baum. The fibres are allowed tosteep in the solution, without stirring, until they are suflicientlysoftened. This may need about twelve hours. The fibres are then washedin running water and neutralized with the right base for the fibretreated.

Example 2Hot pro0ess.-The same process is used but the strength of thebath is reduced to 1 deg. Baum and the temperature should not be morethan Cent. for textile fibres suitable for spinning; It may however beraised to 100 Gent. if paper pulp is being prepared.

The example given for hemp may be adapted to all industrial textilefibres, such as sisal hemp, flax, ramie, alfalfa, jute, etc., eachtextile necessitating precautions peculiar thereto. I

The process may also be used for stripping spun and raw threads in orderto prepare them for dyeing and bleaching, and the stripping operationmay be regarded as a second degumming.

I claim:

1. Process of degumming textile plants and vegetable matter consistingin treating the textiles in a bath of hydrocarbon sulfonic acids with aview to peptizing the gums and pectins and in neutralizing thethuspeptized material by subjecting the latter to the action of an alkalinebath.

2. Process of degumming textile plants and vegetable matter consistingin treating the 5 textiles in a bath formed by mixing togetherhydrocarbon sulfonic acids and common salt with a view to peptizing thegums and pectins and thus releasing the fibres.

3. Process of degumming textile plants and vegetable matter consistingin treating the textiles in a bath formed by mixing together hydrocarbonsulfonic acids and common salt. with a view to peptizing the gums andpectins and thus releasing the fibres, and in neutral- 16 izing the thustreated material by subjecting the latter to the action of an alkalinebath.

4;. Process of degumming textile plants and vegetable matter consistingin immersing the material in a bath of naphthaline sulfonic 20 aciduntil it is peptized, in rinsing the fibres thus released, and inneutralizing said fibres with a suitable base.

5. Process of degumming textile plants and Vegetable matter consistingin immersing the material in a bath formed by a mixture of naphtalinesulfonic acid and common salt with a View to peptizing said material, inrinsing the fibres thus released and in neutralizing said material byimmersing it in a mixed alkaline and soap bath.

6. Process of degumming raw hemp fibre which consists in soaking thefibre in water to remove excess of chlorophyl, in immersing the fibre ina bath composed of a naphtaline sulfonic acid and common salt, inheating the bath to a temperature of 60 C. approximately, in rinsing thethus treated fibre, and in neutralizing the fibre with a suitable base.

URBAIN JULES LEONTHUAU.

